8 Ways To Make Your Home Feel Cosy This Winter

Most of us put our heating on in October and don’t switch off again until March, making the cost of heating our biggest energy spend. But there are plenty of low-tech ways you can keep you home comfy and cosy this winter.

1. Hunt for the Leak

Light a joss-stick or candle and pass it slowly and steadily round your doors and windows. When the smoke or flame flickers, you’ve found your leak, so now use insulating tape to make your home draught-proof.

2. Create Cheap Heat

If you don’t believe that a heater made with a couple of terracotta flower pots and some tea lights can effectively heat a small room, you need to take a look at this tutorial. It’s an effective way to get rid of those energy-inefficient space heaters – but be careful and don’t leave them unattended or burn yourself.
3. Insulate to Accumulate

If you have single-glazed windows and doors in Dublin, then try insulating them with pieces of bubble wrap cut to size, or use clear plastic and heat with a hairdryer to keep in place. Better yet, invest in double glazing from a trusted supplier like http://www.keanewindows.ie to keep cosy all winter long. You’ll save a fortune on your energy bills.

4. Turn It Down

Turning down the thermostat in a well-insulated house can save at least £60 a year.

5. Tin Foil

A piece of special heat-reflective tin foil stuck on the wall behind your radiator can reflect heat back into the room. You can try the same trick in your open fireplace too to stop all the heat going up the chimney.

6. Let the Sunshine In

The low winter sun can be surprisingly warming, and it’s a free heat source. Leave curtains open during the day to maximise the heat from the sun, and then close them as soon as night falls. Thick curtains are great at adding another layer of insulation to your windows to prevent heat loss.

7. Put a Rug Down

Stripped wood floors look great, but as much as 10% of the heat lost in our homes goes out through the floorboards. A thick tug will help to keep a room cosy.